Meet the Nationwide Discovery Team
Virtual, March - May 2021
These ten young people are participating in our pilot 18-Session Program and are coming from six different states! Their FFI journey will help them to develop their communication, self-reflection, and empathic leadership skills.
Addi (Addison)
Home State: Illinois
Important Issues:
Mental health, school leadership listening to teachers and students, food insecurity due to COVID, poverty
How do you imagine yourself as a leader?
Training youth and adult leaders through community programs and organizations. Traveling the country and the world to connect community service and social justice groups that have similar missions.
If I were a ____, I would be a...
Plant: mammillaria cactus
Animal: cat
Favorite Inspirational Quote
“And now that you don’t have to be perfect, you can be good.”
- John Steinbeck
Alex (Alexandra)
Home State: South Carolina
Important Issues:
Access to healthcare, police brutality, unemployment
How do you imagine yourself as a leader?
Leading at school, teaching kids, and being the cool teacher
If I were a ____, I would be a...
Plant: pothos (devil's ivy)
Animal: snail
Favorite Inspirational Quote
"You must never give into despair. Allow yourself to slip down that road and you surrender to your lowest instincts. In the darkest times, hope is something you give yourself. That is the meaning of inner strength." - Uncle Iroh (Avatar: The Last Airbender)
Aliyah
Home State: Pennsylvania
Important Issues:
Black Lives Matter movement, racism, gender expression, African American history
How do you imagine yourself as a leader?
In Wakanda or a Black Kingdom or some kind, making and abolishing laws, leading with honesty, kindness, and bravery
If I were a ____, I would be a...
Plant: sunflower
Animal: house dog
Favorite Inspiration Quote
"Normal is a delusion. What's normal for the spider is
chaos for the fly." - Morticia Addams
Amy (Aminata)
Home State: Louisiana
Important Issues:
Renewable energy, mental health, education access, STEM opportunities in Louisiana, bringing attention to education corruption
How do you imagine yourself as a leader?
Standing in front of a group of people and developing a production plan for a project. Developing goals and deadlines and tasks. Being aware of weakness. Delegating tasks to build others' skills. Taking a step back and letting them discuss.
If I were a ____, I would be a...
Plant: aloe
Animal: elephant
Favorite Inspiration Quote
“Freeing yourself was one thing, claiming ownership of that freed self was another.” - Toni Morrison
Geybrell
Home State: Massachusetts
Important Issues:
Racism, how students are taught in school (not encouraging learning, just making them memory machines)
How do you imagine yourself as a leader?
Atop a mountain with a group, they're scouting an island for danger and protecting its citizens from a tyrannical king. Leading a close group of friends by giving advice but also listening to it.
If I were a ____, I would be a...
Plant: amaranth
Animal: ant
Favorite Inspiration Quote:
"If you don't take risks, you can't create a future" - Monkey D. Luffy
Georgia
Home State: South Carolina
Important Issues:
COVID precautions, the polarization of political ideology
How do you imagine yourself as a leader?
Being strong and respected, making positive change in the world, being successful at her job, being a good role-model to those around her, being strong, determined, and bold
If I were a ____, I would be a...
Plant: palm tree
Animal: monkey
Favorite Inspiration Quote:
"One day your life will flash before your eyes. Make sure it's worth watching" - Gerard Way
Jonah
Home State: New Hampshire
Important Issues:
Undrinkable water, people living on the streets, making a commission to rewrite the curriculum, and giving municipalities home rule
How do you imagine yourself as a leader?
Being the Governor of New Hampshire, creating a new revenue source and reversing the Reagan/Sununu revolution statewide. Making people believe in government again and its power to foster a healthy and vibrant society. Leading working class through the unification of the people
If I were a ____, I would be a...
Plant: tree
Animal: lion or an eagle
Favorite Inspiration Quote:
"I’m tired of marching for something that should’ve been mine at birth." - Dr. King
Juliette
Home State: South Carolina
Important Issues:
Changing the name of her gated community that is offensive to a group of people, removing political ideas from the pandemic response
How do you imagine yourself as a leader?
Speaking at a podium in front of people about a group she started leading females to get equal rights. Leading by inspiring and by getting people together to fight for a common cause.
If I were a ____, I would be a...
Plant: Rose
Animal: Chihuahua
Favorite Inspiration Quote:
"But I took your matches before fire could catch me / So don't look now, I'm shining like fireworks over your sad, empty town" – "Dear John" - Taylor Swift
Morgan
Home State: New Hampshire
Important Issues:
Trans issues, sexual assault on women, mental health, teenage drug abuse
How do you imagine yourself as a leader?
Leading something like a big art project, helping homeless people, or helping impoverished countries. Being somewhere central to help, preferably Hawaii. Leading like-minded people that are kind, hard-working and helping what they are working towards.
If I were a ____, I would be a...
Plant: Succulent
Animal: Panda
Favorite Inspirational Quotes:
"Hell is empty and all the devils are here" - Shakespeare
Remi
Home State: New Hampshire
Important Issues:
Pandemic response, people not following CDC guidelines
How do you imagine yourself as a leader?
Making others happy and helping each other. Motivating others to do the same and helping others to make the world a better place.
If I were a ____, I would be a...
Plant: spider plant
Animal: turtle
Favorite Inspirational Quotes:
"Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever." - Mahatma Gandhi
